DAY 828 - (English podcast click here)

DAY 828 - Grace Bestowed (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

                       Today's Reading: Revelation 19:1-10

** If you would like to learn a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please read my “Count Down 5” from my Devotion on Fire blog:

http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html

To use this simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link:

 .Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf

Please click this link to read Revelation 19:1-10

English(ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation 19&version=ESV

Chinese: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=启 示 录 19&version=CUV

Bible Study

     This passage gives us a most glorious scene in heaven of how God's people worshipping with the heavenly hosts in a victory banquet like a wedding after the fall of the whore, Babylon. 

Let's take a look at what Bishop N.T. Wright says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright ) :

    

      The whore has been judged; the bride steps forward…The marriage of the lamb and his bride is to be the focal point of the marriage of heaven and earth themselves, and Babylon, the symbolic equivalent of the ancient Babel which thought to climb up to heaven by its own energy, is shown up as a futile parody of the real thing, a human attempt to get, by sheer greed, what God proposed to give by sheer grace. 

N.T. Wright. Revelation for Everyone. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011, p.168.

    Do you understand what God prepares for us is sheer grace? Do you know what you have experienced so far to become a disciple of Jesus is sheer grace? 

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe":  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU

Spiritual Journal

    The title I heard from Jesus today is: Grace bestowed

    What I receive today cannot express in words. When I was reading verse 8 a word in Chinese translation came up to my mind "蒙恩" in English should be "Grace bestowed", NIV translated as "was given her", ESV "it was granted her".

    The wonderful thing is that the Holy Spirit led me to look at the bookshelf on my left hand side, took out a briefcase I have not used since I went to Nashotah House Episcopal seminary in 1984, took some old bulletins from my home church, Holy Trinity Church(is now called Holy Trinity Cathedral)and there I saw a few of my own writing, using the name "Grace bestowed 蒙恩".

     It is such a wonderful reminder of how our Lord Jesus Christ has been leading me through the past 32 years. It is such a big, big assurance to me that he is going to lead me through until I am able to worship Him in heaven with the heavenly hosts on that day as described in today's passage.

     The only thing I need to do 32 years ago and till then is to prepare myself to be holy so that I am worthy to be His bride. Oh, God is so real! I am so joyful with His presence now and I need to kneel down now to worship Him!

     Please take a look at the bookshelf, the opened door, the black briefcase and my write-up using the name "Grace bestowed". Although it is in Chinese and you may not be able to read if you are not Chinese. Still, the words in those bulletins are not so important as the symbolic meaning of today's experience.

     Grace bestowed! That is me! That is you!  
      

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank you for giving me this wonderful experience today. Help each one of us to know that you are going to give us the fine linen, bright and clean to wear because of your grace. Lead us to become holy. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Please click this link to worship with us -

從心合一

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJWZQyLzDRQ

10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) Matt Redman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E

You may choose to follow my other daily blog: 

Daily Devotion on Fire 2(2 years plan -One year New Testament, one year Old Testament): 

http://bishopsilas2.blogspot.ca/

Daily Devotion on Fire (3 years and 3 months plan, one chapter a day to finish reading the whole Bible): 

http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/

Break.Build (40 days daily devotion- For Renewal or First Step for new Christians): http://www.breakbuild.blogspot.ca/

Emmanuel330 (40 weeks First Step Bible Study): 

http://emmanuel330.blogspot.ca/

This blog:

Discipler 123 (Daily devotion using N.T. Wright's NT for Everyone as source)

http://discipler123.blogspot.ca/

Rev. Nicky Gumbel's daily devotion: Bible in One Year

http://www.htb.org.uk/bioy

DAY 827 - (English podcast click here)

DAY 827 - Great Wealth Gone in One Hour (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

                        Today's Reading: Revelation 18:9-24

** If you would like to learn a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please read my “Count Down 5” from my Devotion on Fire blog:

http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html

To use this simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link:

 .Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf

Please click this link to read Revelation 18:9-24

English(ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation 18&version=ESV

Chinese: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=启 示 录 18&version=CUV

Bible Study

     This passage has more to say about he fall of Babylon. Can you believe that all kinds of great wealth can be gone in just one hour if God acts? Can you believe the wealth you have got through all those years can be gone in one hour?

Let's take a look at what Bishop N.T. Wright says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright ) :

    

      For Babylon has gained her power from the monster, and the monster from the accuser, the satan, the old dragon who, though out of sight for the moment, is remembered from chapter 12 and will shortly reappear.  The whole system is built on lies, on false accusations and false claims.  So much of Revelation is about being able to tell the difference between the lie and the truth; and so many of the lies appear as accusations.  That is why it is so difficult to overthrow the Babylons of this world, unless it is simply by the force of the new Babylon, whatever that may be.  In fact, it is impossible - except through the blood of the lamb, and the faithful witness of his followers. 

N.T. Wright. Revelation for Everyone. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011, p.165.

    Have you seen those kind of Babylonian system surrounding us in our world, nation, workplace, church, family and everywhere? Those excessive luxuries, lies, accusations and persecutions? How are you going to be able to see the real situation and not joining in that lifestyle of excessive luxuries, rumours, lies, accusations and persecutions? How can you avoid yourself not living in that kind of Babylonian lifestyle without knowing that can bring to your own destruction someday? 

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe":  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU

Spiritual Journal

    The title I heard from Jesus today is: Great wealth gone in one hour

    What I receive today is to give us a warning of what we are working so hard each day. If all those you have been working so hard are wealth and fame, health and big family, can you believe all those things can be gone in not only an hour but in an instance? 

    The point John wants to make in todays message is that God is in total control. In His good time even the long established evil system by Satan himself in the symbolic name of Babylon can be gone in just an instance. 

    Let's humble ourselves to be under the lordship of our Lord Jesus Christ so that what we are working hard each day have an eternal value so that we won't waste our time, money and life!

    Remember, just as Bishop Wright says, it is impossible to get rid of those Babylonian lifestyle except through the blood of Christ and the faithful witness of His followers. Are you willing to pay the high price like what Jesus did? Or, are you going to accept the temptation of the Babylonian lifestyle to live in a way just like those people in a future heading to destruction? 

Choose wisely! 

      

Dear Lord Jesus,

Help us to be certain that we are not living in a Babylonian lifestyle but a true lifestyle of Christlikeness.  In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Please click this link to worship with us -

從心合一

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJWZQyLzDRQ

10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) Matt Redman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E

You may choose to follow my other daily blog: 

Daily Devotion on Fire 2(2 years plan -One year New Testament, one year Old Testament): 

http://bishopsilas2.blogspot.ca/

Daily Devotion on Fire (3 years and 3 months plan, one chapter a day to finish reading the whole Bible): 

http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/

Break.Build (40 days daily devotion- For Renewal or First Step for new Christians): http://www.breakbuild.blogspot.ca/

Emmanuel330 (40 weeks First Step Bible Study): 

http://emmanuel330.blogspot.ca/

This blog:

Discipler 123 (Daily devotion using N.T. Wright's NT for Everyone as source)

http://discipler123.blogspot.ca/

Rev. Nicky Gumbel's daily devotion: Bible in One Year

http://www.htb.org.uk/bioy

DAY 826 - (English podcast click here)

DAY 826 - No Compromise with Babylon (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

                         Today's Reading: Revelation 18:1-8

** If you would like to learn a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please read my “Count Down 5” from my Devotion on Fire blog:

http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html

To use this simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link:

 .Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf

Please click this link to read Revelation 18:1-8

English(ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation 18&version=ESV

Chinese: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=启 示 录 18&version=CUV

Bible Study

     The fall of Babylon. What does it mean? What has the message to do with us? 

Let's take a look at what Bishop N.T. Wright says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright ) :

    

      The command is therefore given that God's people should 'come out of her'.  That, clearly, echoes the summons of Isaiah 48.20 and 52.11-12, and particularly Jeremiah 51.45.  But how should John's hearers apply this message to themselves?  The faithful among them have not compromised with Babylon.  

N.T. Wright. Revelation for Everyone. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011, p.160.

     Do you think your lifestyle has already compromised with the lifestyle of Babylon? What is the lifestyle of Babylon?

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe":  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU

Spiritual Journal

    The title I heard from Jesus today is: No compromise with Babylon

    What I receive today is to remind me of seeing quite a number of times from TV requirements of terrorists when they captured some people. They asked for money or to release some of their leaders who were in jail. But, as often as we can see in the foreign policy of many nations, it is "No compromise with terrorists". They know that if they allow compromise then more innocent people would be captured and that will surely be an unending stories of the rise of more terrorists.

     Do you know that the image of Babylon is the worst terrorist on earth? As in this passage, we have the key of the lifestyle of Babylon "excessive luxuries  (verse 3), "glory and luxury she gave herself". (verse 7) And, we can see in previous chapters are "adulteries" (17:2, 5) "Armageddon" (16:16 about the kings fighting for power).

     Do you understand now. It is the most simple, original sins that Satan tempted Jesus as in Matthew 4: 1-11: Money, sex and power. Then, this passage shows us that it all starts with excessive luxuries. Are you being trapped by excessive luxuries already?

     Remember, no compromise with Babylon! 

Dear Lord Jesus,

Help us not to step into the trap of excessive luxuries that we make compromise with Babylon.  In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Please click this link to worship with us -

從心合一

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJWZQyLzDRQ

10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) Matt Redman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E

You may choose to follow my other daily blog: 

Daily Devotion on Fire 2(2 years plan -One year New Testament, one year Old Testament): 

http://bishopsilas2.blogspot.ca/

Daily Devotion on Fire (3 years and 3 months plan, one chapter a day to finish reading the whole Bible): 

http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/

Break.Build (40 days daily devotion- For Renewal or First Step for new Christians): http://www.breakbuild.blogspot.ca/

Emmanuel330 (40 weeks First Step Bible Study): 

http://emmanuel330.blogspot.ca/

This blog:

Discipler 123 (Daily devotion using N.T. Wright's NT for Everyone as source)

http://discipler123.blogspot.ca/

Rev. Nicky Gumbel's daily devotion: Bible in One Year

http://www.htb.org.uk/bioy